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Kids & Youth

Students enjoy working on a fossil project.

NPS Photo

What is there to do at the Fossil Beds?

Kids visiting the Hagerman Fossil Beds Visitor Center enjoy seeing the park movie, exploring the Discovery Center, seeing actual fossils, and becoming a Junior Ranger! Try your hand at digging up a fossil replica, use a magifier to closely study a fossil, or pinch an animal fur to imagine the skin of its ancient cousin.

Out on the Monument grounds, your whole family can hike along the Emigrant Trail and pretend they are one of the many people who walked over 1,300 miles on this trek west. Look to the Oregon Trail area and check out the wagon ruts left so many years ago. You are sure to find plenty of things to do and see, if you take any good pictures please share them with the park rangers!

Things to Do at Home Before You Visit

You might want to visit our Park Fun pages so you know what activities you want to include in your future park visit. And to enjoy a puzzle or game, too. There may be special programs or events in the park, check the Park Calendar for what is happening the days you will be here.

If you are a fourth grader, or age equivalent free-choice learner, you can receive an Every Kid in a Park pass that will give you and your family free entry to hundreds of parks, lands, and waters while you are in fourth grade. It's your pass, the family must take you along in order to use the pass for free entry.

If you are 10 years old or in fourth grade, you can participate in an on-line activity and receive a voucher for a free 4th Grade Annual Pass. Print out the voucher and take it with you and your family to a national park, where you can serve as an ambassador and introduce your family to the National Park System. This program, called Every Kid in a Park, runs from September until August each year. National parks and other federal lands and waters all across America are excited to share their heritage with young people. The pass covers the entry fee for 3 adults and unlimited kids!

Become a WebRanger!

Visit the National Park Service’s site for kids of all ages. If you love our National Parks, Monuments and Historic Sites, this site is for you. As a WebRanger, you’ll learn what Park Rangers do to help protect our natural resources and our cultural heritage. You’ll also learn how Park Rangers observe and discover new things about our National Parks - things to share with your friends. Check us out at: www.nps.gov/webrangers/